Laphroaig (Gaelic: "The beautiful hollow by the broad bay")
has its own peat-beds on Islay and a beautifully-maintained floor
maltings at the distillery. Its maturation warehouses face directly on to the
sea.

I once heard a curious anecdote about
Laphroaig, which I haven't been able to confirm:
Apparently during the American
prohibition on alcohol they stopped importation of Scotch, but some
of the most phenolic stuff (ie Laphroaig) managed to slip through the net:
It was imported as a *disinfectant*. The customs authorities must have
thought that nothing smelling like Laph. could be drunk for any other than
medical purposes... [ag, 1995]

I don't know about the disinfectant story but Laphroaig was the single
best selling whisky legally during prohibition in the U.S. It was
prescribed to those in need of medicinal alcohol (probably because it has
been described as smelling of gauze). [rw, 1995]

15 yr old, 80 proof
The Islay with the strongest character; very iodiny, very peaty. You
either love it or you hate it. I find the 15 year old to be much more
palatable than the 10 year old, which is more common.
[lh]